Monthly Archives: August 2013

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Legend has it that Ovin give up a position in the household of Queen Ethelrid to join the monastery at Lastingham in the 7th century and arrived carrying an axe and hatchet.
The current well surround is thought to be 18th Century, although the original well much older. Sadly all that remains is a stone recess with no trough or spout.

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This guidestone is by far the most spectacular of the sequence across Blakey Ridge. It is said to date from around 1720 and carries the following inscriptions with carved hands on three sides.
“Road : to : Kirby : moor : side” (Kirkbymoorside) “R+B” “R+E” “IW”
“Road to : Pickerin : or : Malton” (Pickering)
“Road : to : Gisbrough” (Guisborough)

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Another in the collection of boundary stones on Blakey Ridge, this time Grade II listed but dropped from the current OS map.
The larger stone again carries an 18th Century “TD” for Thomas Duncombe and an Ordnance Survey benchmark.
The smaller stone has a number of rough inscriptions for which I have no explanation “JRH” “RM” and “EML” theres also an upside down “T” on the side.

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My journey south across the moor continues with the next boundary stone, the ‘Saddle Stone’ presumably named due to its shape.
The top of the stone carries the usual 18th Century “TD” for Thomas Duncombe.
The side of the stone carries a much newer inscription that ‘Margaret Loves John’
Again this stone is marked on all editions of the OS map, but isn’t a listed structure like many of the unmarked ones that are.

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Rudland Rook (or maybe Rudland Rock) on the beautifully named Rotten Hill is one of the few boundary stones named on the OS map. Having got to the location theres no stone to be seen just a cairn (unless the stone is buried under the cairn)

A web search for Rudland Rook/Rock turns up very little, so if anyone know anything about it or why its marked on maps I would love to know.

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‘Young Ralph’ is much better known than his older brother, being on the logo of the North York Moors National Park.
A cross at this location may date back as far as the 11th century, but the current cross is thought to be from the 18th century.
The cross is currently in three pieces after being damaged in the1960s (see photo) and 1980s. It actually seems to have been extended compared to this old postcard, and the “R” seems to be no longer there.

The common tale told is that of a farmer called Ralph erected the cross after finding the body of a traveller here, the hollow carved in the top of the cross being left to hold coins for anyone in need of help. My grandfather would always stop here and lift me up to put coins in the top.

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As well as the words “Gallow How” this stone carried the letter “D” for Danby and “W” for Westerdale as it marks the parish boundary.
It also carries the date 1835
Whether or not a set of gallows ever stood here is unknown to me, ‘Gallow Howe’ suggests a much older bronze age burial mound.